Method and system for mapping a work site

Abstract

An electronic system for mapping a work site that includes a plurality of radar sensors to be provided on vehicles moving on the site, the radar sensors being able to detect objects included in a respective area of detection and acquire their relative positions. The system includes a speed module configured for determining a speed parameter for objects detected by the radar sensors, according to their relative positions. The system also includes a classification module configured for classifying detected objects as standing still or moving objects according to the respective speed parameters, and a map module configured for creating a common map of the site providing the positions of standing still objects detected in the site by said plurality of radar sensors, according to a reference system.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic system for mapping a work site that comprises a plurality of radar sensors provided on a plurality of vehicles performing work operations on the work site, the plurality of radar sensors being able to detect objects included in respective areas of detection and acquire the positions of the detected objects relative to at least one of the plurality of vehicles performing work operations, wherein the electronic system is configured to:
 determine respective speed parameters for a first set of objects detected by the plurality of radar sensors, according to their positions relative to at least one of the plurality of vehicles performing work operations; 
 classify the detected objects in the first set of objects as standing still or moving objects according to the respective speed parameters for the first set of objects; 
 create a common map of the work site providing the positions of the standing still objects in the first set of objects detected in the work site by the plurality of radar sensors on the plurality of vehicles performing work operations on the work site, according to a reference system; and 
 determine a speed of a later-detected object detected by the plurality of radar sensors after detection of the objects in the first set of objects, wherein the speed of the later-detected object is determined relative to at least two standing still objects in the first set of objects; 
 classify the later-detected object as a later-detected standing still object if the speed of the later-detected object relative to the at least two standing still objects in the first set of objects is zero; 
 continuously update, while the plurality of vehicles are performing the work operations on the work site, the common map according to intervening changings in the classification of the mapped objects in the first set of objects and to include the later-detected standing still object. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic system according to  claim 1 , wherein the electronic system is configured to determine common standing still objects detected in the respective areas of detection of different radar sensors of the plurality of radar sensor or of the same radar sensor of the plurality of radar sensors in different moments. 
     
     
       3. The electronic system according  claim 1 , further comprising at least a satellite positioning device configured to provide the reference system. 
     
     
       4. The electronic system according to  claim 1 , comprising the plurality of vehicles each mounting a mapping apparatus including at least a radar sensor of the plurality of radar sensors and an individual processing unit connected to the radar sensor. 
     
     
       5. The electronic system according to  claim 4 , wherein one or more of the plurality of vehicles mount the mapping apparatus including at least two radar sensors of the plurality of radar sensors such pointed so as to have overlapping areas of detection. 
     
     
       6. The electronic system according to  claim 5 , wherein each mapping apparatus comprises a telecommunication device for collecting and sharing information to and from other apparatuses relating to the detected objects in the first set of objects and the later-detected object. 
     
     
       7. The electronic system according to  claim 6 , further comprising at least a central processing station configured to collect and share information with the mapping apparatuses, and the electronic system being configured to produce the common map of the work site according to the information collected from the different mapping apparatuses. 
     
     
       8. The electronic system according to  claim 4 , further comprising at least a satellite positioning device configured to provide the reference system. 
     
     
       9. The electronic system according to  claim 8 , wherein each mapping apparatus comprises a respective satellite positioning device, the electronic system being configured to calculate geographic coordinates of the objects of the first set of objects and the later-detected object detected by the plurality of radar sensors according to geographic coordinates of a respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles, and the electronic system is further configured to associate the calculated geographic coordinates with the mapped objects of the first set of objects and the later-detected object. 
     
     
       10. A method for mapping a work site, comprising the steps of:
 providing a plurality of radar sensors to be mounted on a plurality of vehicles performing work operations on the work site, the plurality of radar sensors being able to detect objects included in respective areas of detection and acquire their positions relative to at least one of the plurality of vehicles performing work operations; 
 determining respective speed parameters for a first set of objects detected by the plurality of radar sensors, according to their positions relative to at least one of the plurality of vehicles performing work operations; 
 classifying the detected objects in the first set of objects as standing still or moving objects according to the respective speed parameters; 
 creating a common map of the work site providing the positions of the standing still objects in the first set of objects detected in the work site by the plurality of radar sensors on the plurality of vehicles performing work operations on the work site, according to a reference system; and 
 determining a speed of a later-detected object detected by the plurality of radar sensors after detection of the objects in the first set of objects, wherein the speed of the later-detected object is determined relative to a least two standing still objects in the first set of objects; 
 classifying the later-detected detected object as a later-detected standing still object if the speed of the later-detected object relative to the at least two standing still objects in the first set of objects is zero; 
 continuously updating, while the plurality of vehicles are performing the work operations on the work site, the common map according to intervening changings in the classification of the mapped objects in the first set of objects and to include the later-detected standing still object. 
 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising the step of determining common standing still objects detected in the respective areas of detection of different radar sensors of the plurality of radar sensors or of the same radar sensor of the plurality of radar sensors in different moments. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of vehicles are provided, each mounting at least a radar sensor of the plurality of radar sensors, the common map being created according to the detections carried out by all the plurality of radar sensors. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 12 , wherein one or more vehicles of the plurality of vehicles mount at least two radar sensors of the plurality of radar sensors such pointed so as to have overlapping areas of detection. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising the steps of: calculating geographic coordinates of the objects of the first set of objects and the later-detected object detected by the plurality of radar sensors according to geographic coordinates associated with a respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles and associate the calculated geographic coordinates with the mapped objects of the first set of objects and the later-detected object.